The Westminster Confession of Faith

Westminster Assembly

Produced by the Westminster Assembly for the great Parliament, this time-honored treasure of the faith bears striking resemblance to the Irish Articles, but is far abler, fuller, and superior to any of its predecessors, and gives proof that the Assembly was steadily dominated by its aim to state nothing therein which is not expressly taught in the Word of God, or derivable therefrom by good and necessary reference.

Section 2

2. After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female, (Gen. 1:27) with reasonable and immortal souls, (Gen. 2:7, Ecc. 12:7, Luke 23:43, Matt. 10:28) endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after His own image, (Gen. 1:26, Col. 3:10, Eph. 4:24) having the law of God written in their hearts, (Rom. 2:14–15) and power to fulfilit: (Eccl. 7:29) and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change. (Gen. 3:6, Eccl. 7:29) Beside this law written in their hearts, they received a command, not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, (Gen. 2:17, Gen. 3:8–11,23) which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God,and had dominion over the creatures. (Gen. 1:26,28)